Debutant Craig sets up historic New Zealand win

DAY 4 IN JAMAICA—Spinner takes wickets wickets in 186-run win, just their second in the Caribbean.

Craig (centre) celebrates a wicket. (AP)

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Mark Craig's dream debut culminated in a 186-run victory for New Zealand in the first Test against the West Indies at Sabina Park in Jamaica on Thursday.

The off-spinner claimed four second innings wickets to finish with eight in the match as the home side crumbled to 216 all out after being set the daunting target of 403.

There was an unexpected late flourish by the West Indies last-wicket pair as last man Shane Shillingford belted the fastest-ever half-century by a Caribbean cricketer in Tests and dominated a record tenth-wicket partnership against New Zealand of 82.

Yet it only delayed the inevitable with New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum summoning Kane Williamson for the last over of the day.

He duly obliged by having Benn caught at the wicket to trigger celebrations among the Black Caps at only their second victory in 16 Test matches in the West Indies going back to their first tour here in 1972.

Craig's haul of four for 97 complimented the very important early double-strike by Tim Southee after McCullum declared his team's second innings at 156 for eight, an effort highlighted by opening batsman Tom Latham's battling 73, his second half-century of the match.

Fresh from an excellent effort in the first innings when he claimed four for 19, Southee removed openers Kieran Powell and Chris Gayle in quick succession.

Powell fell without scoring while Gayle, who went past 7,000 runs in Test cricket in getting off the mark with a boundary, departed in the seamer's next over, caught at the wicket in a manner similar to his first innings dismissal off the same bowler.

For the few fans gathered at Sabina Park hoping for a monumental effort from their hero in his 100th Test match, his swift demise was as much of a huge let-down for them as it was a considerable boost to New Zealand.

Craig then got into his own on the wearing pitch with the wickets of Kirk Edwards, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels and Kemar Roach.

Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi chimed in with the all-important wicket of Shivnarine Chanderpaul before adding the scalps of beleaguered captain Denesh Ramdin and tailender Jerome Taylor.

"This is a dream come true. It surely doesn't get any better than this," was Craig's reaction on receiving the Man of the Match award.

"It think it all went wrong for us in the first innings when three of our top six didn't get a score," said Ramdin in reflecting on the defeat. "We just need to spend more time at the crease."

"This was a brilliant Test match for us. To get 500 on that wicket was a special effort," said McCullum in relishing the victory.

"The bowlers were also outstanding because it's tough to get 20 wickets on this pitch."

'Winning games for India is what I want to do'

Nearly six years after his last ODI, Robin Uthappa returns to the Indian side, refreshed, more assured, and eager to contribute to the team's success.

The success in the IPL has now earned you an India cap after six years. How exciting is it to be playing again in the national shirt?

I am very excited. It means a lot to me that I'm playing for the country again. It makes me extremely proud that I am able to do what I love doing at the highest level. But I just see this as an opportunity. I cannot sit back and I say I have made it now. It is an opportunity to start all over again.

You built your success in the IPL as an opener. The last time you played for India, you batted in the lower middle order. Would you be more comfortable opening?

Winning the treble with Karnataka gave me a massive understanding of what I need to do in terms of being able to perform my role to the best of my ability. I am very certain about my role as an opening batsman, because I do it day in, day out throughout the season for Karnataka. So it is just a matter of repeating the same process at a different level.

Are you better aware about your role in the Indian side now?

I know that if I stick to what works for me, I will be successful. I need to stay in the present. I need to make sure that I focus on the most important thing: to play on the merit of the ball. If I can do that, the scores will come. I am pretty confident that I can perform the role of an opening batsman to my fullest potential. I believe that I can set up games for India to win. Winning games for India is what I want to do. That is an intense desire.

You did that with Kolkata Knight Riders. You finished as the IPL's best batsman. How important an achievement was that?

It is a wonderful feeling. I am happy that I was able to contribute to my team in a way that was meaningful. And I was able to do it consistently. I want to build on it. I want to move forward with that growth now. At the same time, I recognise places I can improve on, work on, get better at.

It was an uncertain beginning for both Knight Riders and yourself. You started in the middle order and were only the fourth-choice opener?

I spoke with the team management and told them I wanted to open. So I did feel the pressure in the first match I opened. But that kind of nervousness is only a good thing. It makes you go out there and express yourself better. It makes you more alive in the moment. I came out better with that pressure on. I have got more clarity about my cricket and that has contributed to my success.

I believe your personal coach, Pravin Amre, stressed on focusing on the basics?

Sir [Amre] has always taught me that if I had the right [technical] action, the end result would be good. The initial part of our training was a lot about making sure that my initial movements were correct, my set-up was correct, the way I picked up the bat, the way the backlift was, the [way the] downswing was. When all of that is proper, 60-70% of your work is done. The rest is about getting your head into position, holding that position well and playing the ball late into the gaps. It is important to remind myself about these things because when you achieve a momentum there is danger of getting carried away when it is important to stick to the basics.

You are now showing the full face of the bat in your strokes as opposed to earlier, when it used to be closed. How big a difference has that made?

It has made a massive difference. As a cricketer I can experience certain stuff but I cannot explain to you in words what it feels to hit the ball from the middle of the bat with the right technique. Very early in our training, I remember telling Sir immediately after hitting a fluent cover drive that I have hit so many sixes in my life but this shot I just hit I would never forget. I hit it so sweetly. He told me not to worry because I would do it more often. It is just a feel, more like a sensation.

Which is the most improved stroke?

Every shot in the V past the bowler on both sides has improved. I have worked a lot on the on drive. We spent hours on that stroke where earlier I was vulnerable against the lbw. You have to get a lot of things in place for that shot: your head needs to be on top of the ball, your legs in the right position, your body aligned correctly to get the power into the stroke. But the cover drive is the one that stands out for me. I have become more of a touch player than someone who plays with a lot of power. That has been my biggest improvement. But it will only stay with me if I continue to work on it.

One of the most visible changes is that you have consciously cut down on hitting sixes. Was that planned?

It was not a conscious effort. The aim was to play to the merit of the ball and importantly bat responsibly. As much as opening is a challenge it is also about focusing on holding an end up. That only allows my team to be in a better position. In some games I was trying to chip the ball over the infield but it went straight to the fielder. I felt that in those instances, if I had gone all through, it could have only proved beneficial. One of the goals I set for myself at the outset was that I wanted to bat through 20 overs. But I started the tournament by coming to play in the middle overs before I started to open. Like I said earlier, there is a lot of scope to improve.

You would appreciate the innings Suresh Raina played in the second qualifier for Chennai Super Kings - playing good cricketing shots. Was that the best innings of this IPL for you?

As far as skills are concerned, definitely. Raina held beautiful positions, played late, stood deep in the crease, made use of the bounce, played very clever cricket. I enjoyed watching him play without fear. Also, when you are chasing a massive score it gives a batsman the freedom to be brave. It was inspiring and I picked up some good things from Raina's innings.

You batted with an injured toe against Mumbai Indians in a crucial match that Knight Riders won. You picked it as your best innings this IPL. Why?

Two days before the Mumbai match in Cuttack, I was hit flush on my left big toe by a yorker-length delivery from Pat Cummins. He was bowling with a new ball that swung in. I batted through, but when I removed my shoe I had a broken nail and it was bleeding profusely. Andrew Leipus [Knight Riders' physiotherapist] gave me some painkillers.

I was positive about playing the match considering we had to win it. I was wearing slippers the next day. But on match day, when I reached the ground, I realised I could not even get a sock on easily, let alone a shoe. I am a UK size 10, so Andrew suggested I try a bigger size. I tried one size bigger but that too was not going in. Then I tried Morne Morkel's size 12. But I could barely walk in them even though I hit some throwdowns. I could not put too much pressure on my leading leg as I was unable to get up on my toes.

I had doubts whether I would be able to play the match. I was feeling uncomfortable in Morne's shoes. Andrew suggested I wear something with an open toe to take the pressure off. Jacques Kallis had his bowling boots, which were size 11. Andrew built a nice, thick protection cap over the cut part of the shoe to provide a good cushion.

Fortunately we bowled first and it gave me little more time to adjust to the shoe. I finished with the Man-of-the-Match award with an 80. I thanked Kallis and played in them till the qualifier.

WV Raman, an experienced domestic coach and part of the coaching bench at Knight Riders, says in all these years he has seen you, you have never been more calm about your batting.

I am in a place in my life where I understand how I can handle everything. If I can stay in the present I have got most things taken care of. I have grown as a human being in the last couple of years as well. I am surrounded by positive people, who add value to my life, which helps me perform better.

Do you realistically believe you will be part of the Indian squad for next year's World Cup?

I believe in my ability and that I will play in the World Cup and contribute to our country's success in a meaningful manner. That is the hope. I am very, very consciously living in the present. I am confident but for the moment I am focusing to perform and succeed in Bangladesh to begin with and carry forward the confidence into subsequent tournaments.

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Ganguly to join Mudgal probe panel

The former India captain has consented to be part of the IPL corruption probe.

Sourav Ganguly will join the Mukul Mudgal-led committee that is probing allegations of corruption in the Indian Premier League, including the investigation of 13 individuals listed in a sealed envelope that was given to the Supreme Court after a preliminary inquiry.

Sourav Ganguly"We had requested Sourav Ganguly to join the IPL probe panel and he has agreed to join us in the investigations. I had telephoned Sourav and he confirmed about coming on board," Mudgal told PTI. "Since our committee member L Nageswara Rao was not present today, we couldn't fix the date of our next meeting. We will let you know when the committee meets next."

The Mudgal committee was set up by the court in October last year to investigate the fixing allegations that arose during the IPL's 2013 season. It had submitted its findings in February this year in a report that included a sealed envelope - to be seen only by the judges - with the names of 13 people who, the committee said, should be further investigated.

The court asked the committee to continue its investigation of the individuals named in the sealed envelope and the committee was also given greater powers for its probe. In agreeing to continue the investigation, Justice Mudgal had listed specific organisations and individuals whose assistance he would require, which included a former India cricketer "of repute and integrity".

The committee, which is being assisted by former senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer BB Mishra, has been given all investigative powers, including search and seizure of relevant documents and recording evidence. However, it cannot carry out any arrests. The committee will also be provided with assistance from one senior police officer each from Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi, as requested and is expected to submit its report in a sealed envelope by the end of August.

The case dates back to June 2013, when the Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) secretary Aditya Verma raised charges of a conflict of interest in BCCI's original two-member inquiry panel for the IPL corruption issue. A Bombay High Court ruling later termed the probe panel "illegal". The BCCI and the CAB filed petitions in the Supreme Court against this order, with the CAB contending that the Bombay High Court could have suggested a fresh mechanism to look into the corruption allegations.

The Supreme Court then appointed a three-member committee, headed by former High Court judge Mukul Mudgal and comprising additional solicitor general L Nageswara Rao and Nilay Dutta to conduct an independent inquiry into the allegations of corruption against Srinivasan's son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, India Cements, and Rajasthan Royals team owner Jaipur IPL Cricket Private Ltd, as well as with the larger mandate of allegations around betting and spot-fixing in IPL matches and the involvement of players.

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BCCI threatened to form parallel world cricket body

The Indian board had clashed with the ICC over their share of ICC's revenues which were largely sourced from India.

The BCCI had threatened to form a parallel world cricket body before the England and Australia boards agreed to the controversial restructuring of the ICC and decided to give a lion's share of its revenue to the India board, according to the BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel.

Sanjay Patel"We got criticised by many in the media and lot of them did not agree but we told them that if India is not getting its proper due and importance then India might be forced to form a second ICC of its own," Patel said at the Sports Journalists Federation of India's annual convention in Hyderabad.

"England and Australia agreed and after that it was decided and from June 27th onwards the new structure will come into place. I would like to state that all 10 Full Members have signed the resolution."

There was also no stopping BCCI president-in-exile N Srinivasan from taking over as the chairman of the ICC later this month in Melbourne as the Indian Supreme Court has not prevented him from doing so, Patel said.

"By the month end, India will take a leading role in the ICC. Mr Srinivasan is going. There is no Supreme Court bar on him. Both of us are going to Melbourne. In the last four months we have settled (the issue) with all the Full Members of the ICC and convinced them about the new structure and the new financial model of the ICC which would be followed in the coming years.

"India would play a leading role in the ICC and the reasons are well known. India is more or less responsible for 68 to 72 percent of the ICC's gross revenue but unfortunately so far we were getting three to four percent of it."

Patel said that a private agency study had confirmed India's substantial contribution to the ICC.

"Srinivasan asked a private agency to study the model and find out who is responsible for what amount and we found that India is responsible for 72 percent and ICC worked out that it was 68 percent. We had a meeting with the ICC officials in Dubai and we informed that 68 to 72 percent is not an issue but it was clear that the majority of the income is coming from India, so why should India take only three to four percent?"

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Why the BCCI needs to be more open about selection decisions

The case of Stuart Binny's selection for the England tour shows the importance of the need for transparency.

An email from the BCCI at the conclusion of a selection committee meeting on May 28 confirmed Karnataka all-rounder Stuart Binny's inclusion for the ODI series in Bangladesh and for the Test tour of England. While his ODI selection was less contentious, eyebrows were raised when he made the cut for the Tests in England. The outrage on social media was instant and entirely predictable. Stuart's father, the former India all-rounder Roger Binny, is a national selector and the deduction was as vicious as it was simplistic: dad had done son a favour. Binny senior was accused of nepotism, favouritism and worse.Stuart was a significant contributor in Karnataka's run to the Ranji title.

The truth, though, was the stark opposite. At the selection committee meeting, Roger Binny had, in fact, recused himself when Stuart's name came up for discussion - as is mandatory for national selectors to do in such circumstances. Roger excused himself from the meeting to let his four colleagues deliberate on Stuart's claims. It wasn't the first time he had done so: on the two previous occasions that Stuart had been picked for India, his father had not been a party to the decision.

This vital nugget of information, though, was kept away from India's highly opinionated and easily outraged cricket followers, bringing into question yet again the BCCI's policy of doggedly refusing to communicate details about vital decisions. What possibly prevents a media release from including a couple of lines clarifying the situation?

A simple disclosure saying that Binny senior was not part of the team that picked his son would douse the fire before it spreads. Stuart Binny won his spot because he was found meritorious by a majority of the national selection panel, excluding his father. Yet the son is now scoffed at as the beneficiary of his father's largesse. To make matters worse, the BCCI's policy on media interactions mandates that these men cannot clear the air in public; they simply have to sit back and bear the charges hurled in their direction.

In essence, this episode is yet another glaring instance of how the BCCI's Soviet-style lack of communication is proving counter-productive. Several questions emerged after the squad for the series in England was named. For instance, has the door been shut firmly now on Zaheer Khan's career? What explains Umesh Yadav's exclusion, although as many as six frontline quick bowlers have been picked for the series? Does he have fitness problems the world at large is unaware of? Is the bowler once touted as the next big hope in Indian cricket in some sort of worrying decline? Why was room found for only one spare batsman? Were other openers considered before deciding to return to Gautam Gambhir?

Selecting cricket teams isn't an exact science. These choices are, in fact, best described as considered punts. Selectors are mostly former players, who make a judgement call on players, especially those on the fringe, based on several factors - form, fitness, instinct, ability, gumption, track record, and at times a certain X-factor. Some insight into the reasons for those choices would perhaps make for a more informed discourse. It may still spark debates of equal ferocity, but at least those are likely to be based on some degree of insight.

The unprecedented step of taking 18 players on the tour of England, for instance, needed some explanation. Was it as insurance - to have fresh and fit players to call upon, because five Tests are to be played in the space of six weeks? Is it to ensure there is no repeat of the shambles of India's last tour of England, which was derailed by a spate of injuries? If so, why the reluctance to share those perfectly acceptable reasons with the cricket public?

The BCCI's disinclination to make the national selection panel address press conferences is quite understandable. Over the last few years, India's cricket media hasn't merely exploded, it has mutated to the point where hunting for sensational headlines and pursuing manufactured controversies is unfortunately now the default brief for reporters across the spectrum.

To subject selectors to repeated questions of the nature of "why so and so, why not so and so" is an exercise in futility. However, there is an option available to make the media release more meaningful than merely naming the men who will board the plane. Perhaps the Cricket Australia model isn't a bad one to adopt, where the media release sheds some light on the choices made.

By remaining as insular as it does, the BCCI is allowing intrigues and conspiracy theories to fester. The players and selectors in question are left to face the brunt. Stuart Binny's progress in the game, for instance, must not be scuttled because his father is a national selector. Stuart was a significant contributor in Karnataka's run to the Ranji Trophy title last season, and it can hardly be argued his claim to national elevation is without merit. Perhaps he has been chosen as a batting allrounder for the tour? If India are inclined to play five bowlers in one of the Tests, perhaps the thinking is that Binny may offer the right ingredients - bat in the top seven and bowl ten to 15 overs in the day.

Roger Binny has spent a lifetime in cricket as a player, coach and scout, and he ticks all the boxes for an upright selector. He too is tarred with that wretched phrase "conflict of interest", even when he steers well clear of such conflict. The conspiracy theorists could well argue that if he is allowed to be seen to uphold the principles of propriety, it will reflect poorly on those who haven't done so. Indian cricket's problem lies not just in that it is populated by men of doubtful integrity but that it cruelly allows the upright among them to be tarred with the same brush.

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Bangladesh selectors limit their choices

The Bangladesh selectors have left themselves little choice but to persist with a team which is very similar to the one that played in the World T20 for the three-match ODI series against India. They will pick a squad from among the 16 players who are in the training camp in Dhaka, as seven of the 23-member preliminary squad for the ODI series are either in the West Indies on the Bangladesh A tour or being sent there as on Wednesday night.

There had been much talk of a number of changes in the Bangladesh team from within the BCB during and after the World T20. But given how the upcoming ODI squad is shaping up, the only changes are those of the coaching staff following the resignations of David Dwyer, Shane Jurgensen and Corey Richards after the World T20.

If fitness and the Faruque Ahmed-led selection committee's drift are to be followed, they will have to make a choice between Ziaur Rahman, Taskin Ahmedand Mithun Ali. Taskin is a 19-year old fast bowler who made his international debut in the World T20, after suffering for 11 months with a knee injury. He has shown aggression and bowls at over 80mph, a rarity among quick bowlers in Bangladesh. Ziaur has had very few opportunities in the 2013-14 season. He has bowled well at times, but it would be surprising if the selectors pick five quick bowlers - Ziaur, Mashrafe Mortaza, Rubel Hossain, Al-Amin Hossain and Taskin. In that case, Mithun could get a look-in as a back-up wicketkeeper, and reward for scoring 706 runs in nine first-class matches this season.

Eight of the preliminary squad will be scrutinised at length. It is likely that the selectors will giveMahmudullah a chance to play his 100th ODI despite just 36 runs in four ODI innings this year and an ordinary World T20. He was dropped for the Asia Cup after making 0, 1 and 5 against Sri Lanka but was quickly restored following Sohag Gazi's hand injury during the Asia Cup.

What is going to save him perhaps is a first-class century he made last month, after which he was banned for two games for making unsavoury gestures towards his own dressing room, as well as allrounder Sabbir Rahman being sent to the West Indies.

Gazi is another player who has had a poor run in 2014 after the high of the New Zealand series last year. He has three wickets in ODIs this year at an average of 56, and didn't pick a single one in the World T20. Thereafter, he has averaged 44.88 for nine first-class wickets.

Shamsur Rahman and Nasir Hossain are among the six players to return from the West Indies after the second four-day game against Sagicor High Performance Centre. If it translates to both being retained in the ODI side, it wouldn't be too much of a surprise as Nasir has only had his first bad patch in international cricket since debuting in 2011. Shamsur has had an up-and-down 2013-14 season, where he scored a Test century and a first-class double-hundred, but also remained irregular in the ODI and T20 sides. Imrul Kayes being in the West Indies with the A team will also work in Shamsur's favour.

Abdur Razzak has corrected his poor form since March with 37 wickets in the post- World T20 first-class season but more importantly, the selectors would always back a senior player who is eager to prove his detractors wrong. Razzak has been light of wickets in ODIs this year but he has recovered from a hamstring injury which he had picked up in early February.

The other eight are automatic choices due to very good to decent form or international experience. Al-Amin has improved by leaps and bounds while Rubel has been the highest wicket-taker this season and this year in ODIs for Bangladesh. Mashrafe, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Anamul Haque and Mominul form the backbone of the squad although Tamim Iqbal has had a run of low scores.

Chief selector Faruque has had a tricky start after taking over from Akram Khan but like his predecessor, he has also wanted to give players a longer run in the team. The ODI series against India will be a major test of his patience, as much as it would be a litmus test for Bangladesh on the field.

Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo's Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84

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Back with the bat: Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar enthralled a group of lucky youngsters at the Singapore Cricket Club recently and took them through the basics of his chosen art form - batting. The Indian maestro, who called time on his career last year with a hundred international centuries, also spoke on his upcoming challenge - the Lord's Bicentenary match on July 5 in which he will lead MCC against Rest of the World. Joining Tendulkar for that match will be the West Indian legend - and Tendulkar's contemporary - Brian Lara.

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How Sanjay Bangar made the new KXIP

Young coach says he felt responsible for the future of Indian coaches

When a sporting event ends it leaves behind stories - stories of successes and disappointment, joy and anguish. And amidst all the stories, one stands out - a story that defines the tournament, the season. In Pepsi IPL 2014, that story was Kings XI Punjab.

For six years, they watched teams surge to the top as they languished on the lower rungs of the points table. This year they built a new team at the Player Auction and dared to do what no other IPL team has done - appoint an Indian as their head coach.

In Sanjay Bangar, KXIP roped in a very recently retired cricketer, taking his first steps on the new career path. In return they got an astute cricket brain conditioned by two decades of first-class cricket and incredible knowledge of Indian Cricket. And he led KXIP to their first ever IPL final.

Although the trophy was lost, Bangar was a winner in many ways. His inspiring coaching brought out the immense hidden local talent to the fore and earned him genuine respect from international superstars like Virender Sehwag and Mitchell Johnson. But Bangar’s biggest victory is that he has opened a whole new world of opportunities for the aspiring Indian coaches.

In a conversation with IPLT20.com, Sanjay Bangar explains how he made the new Kings XI Punjab.

Here are excerpts from his interview:

Do you think this year was the perfect time for you to join the team as the full auction gave you the freedom to build a new team from scratch?

I finished playing only about 15 months ago and I’d always wanted to get into coaching or media because that is the natural progression for a retired cricketer where he can find a way of making a living. I was exploring both the opportunities and fortunately for me Kings XI Punjab came up and I’m really grateful to our team owners, Ness Wadia, Preity Zinta and Mohit Burman – those are the owners that I have met – for they thought I was capable of taking up the responsibility.

How did you begin the process of determining what kind of team you wanted this year?

There was a lot of freehand given to me because the owners left the cricketing decisions to the cricketing staff. Even at the Auction table they really supported the thought process that we had. From the cricketing point of view, we understood that T20 requires specialists for each position and at the same time we need to have impact players. We also need to give the right opportunities to the uncapped Indian talent. We tried to put the jigsaw together and finally ended up with a setup we aspired to have.

Who were the people involved in zeroing on the players you wanted?

I was signed up in October and the whole process of putting together the team started in the last week of November, when we had a lot of meetings with Ness Wadia. We got a lot of help from our video analyst, Ashish Tuli, who gave us tons of information on all the players who are playing T20 cricket worldwide. Joe Dawes is involved with the Indian team and knows the setup well, and although he was traveling most of the time, we were also in touch with him. I was also in touch with the previous team management, which consisted of Darren Lehmann and Vikram Rathod, and took their suggestions on board as to what sort of players they backed when they were here. After all the brainstorming, we came up with a few parameters on which we decided to judge players and picked our players accordingly.

Many were surprised with KXIP’s decision to retain Manan Vohra. But he vindicated you.

I hadn’t seen much of Manan when I joined the team. I only saw him play little and thought he had great potential. But this was one area for which I went back to the previous team management. And the kind of reports they had put in for this young guy were outstanding. It often happens that when any management changes, the new management always tries to undo the work of the old one. That was one thing I made a conscious decision to not do. I believed there has to be some sense of continuity. I respected the judgment of the previous group and reached the decision that maintaining the continuity of grooming a young player will benefit the team in the long run.

Not many teams were keen on having Virender Sehwag given his elongated run of low scores. What made you put your faith in him?

Viru has been playing domestic cricket for a year now. For someone who has played 100 Test matches, it is hard to motivate yourself and push yourself hard when there are no crowds and no real big stage. The competitive juices don’t flow and it can get difficult to motivate yourself. There was also a lot of talk about his glasses and that it has hampered his hand-eye coordination. I spoke to Viru about it and he said there was no major problem there and it was just a small issue blown out of proportion. He is a player of quality and free spirit. Another factor was that because most teams had retained the cream of the Indian players, there were not many Indian batsmen left in the auction who could straight away command a spot in the team. The best available were Dinesh Karthik, Robin Uthappa, Murali Vijay and Virender Sehwag. So, there weren’t too many options. And the price at which we got Viru surprised us all. I played with him 10 years ago and I see no wane in his abilities after all these years. His technique is pretty much the same as it was at that time and I just thought it would be really good for us to have him.

What made you guys shell out big money for Glenn Maxwell?

We had set a price cap for every player that we wanted and we were not ready to exceed that. We were very clear that if we don’t get a certain player for an X amount, we’ll look at some other player. Because of that we had a lot of money when Glenn Maxwell came on in the Auction. We thought we need an impact player and one who is yearning for opportunities to prove his worth. And his talent was never in question. From all these perspectives, I thought he’d be a great asset to the team.

Do you think KXIP’s strategy this year is similar to what RR have always had – invest on utility players rather than superstars?

Rajasthan Royals have been doing it successfully since the first season and this is only our first year of such success in the IPL. We have to sustain this for the next few years before we can be compared to them. But there is no shame in adopting successful strategies of other teams and we do believe we need to provide opportunities to the immense untapped talent of this country. Besides the talent, it is also crucial to look out for the hunger – it’s important to pick players who are really hungry to go on the field and perform and are looking to improve each day.

Where does Murali Kartik fit in with all his experience? How tough was it to keep him on the bench for most matches?

It’s been a very tough decision for me personally. But what happened was that the performances put in by Akshar Patel far exceeded our expectations. Murali Kartik brings a lot to the table with his vast bowling experience but I felt there is no place for two left-arm spinners in all the matches. That’s the reason Kartik couldn’t get the number of opportunities he deserved.

What about someone like Cheteshwar Pujara? An international player doesn’t need much coaching but are things a little different with him as he is still trying to make a mark in the shorter formats?

A player normally progresses if he continues to get opportunities at any level, in any format. The fundamental game doesn’t really change that much. It’s all about how you adapt to and overcome certain phases of your innings. With time everybody learns. Even someone like a Rahul Dravid learnt to play one-day cricket over the years and then surprised so many pundits with his T20 success with RR. Cheteshwar has great work ethic and I can foresee him developing into a very good limited-overs batsman.

In what particular ways is he working towards it?

He’s working on better strike rotation and clearing the in-field in the first six overs. Improving in these areas will help him when he gets his opportunities.

Was George Bailey an automatic choice for captaincy because he leads Australia?

One other name that was on our minds and also on those of a lot of KXIP fans was Virender Sehwag. But we wanted to give Viru a lot of freedom to express himself out there without any added responsibility. George Bailey has a very good personality and a good track record as captain. He currently leads Australia’s T20 side and we have a lot of Australians in our setup, so that was a factor too. His overall personality and demeanour - he brings out the best in the players, is very open and broadminded and always lends a helping hand to the young Indian uncapped players.

How different has this experience been for you personally, to be actively involved with an IPL team right from building it to coaching it?

When I took up this role, I felt that a lot is at stake as far as the reputation of the Indian coaches is concerned because we will be measured by the yardstick set by the foreign coaches. I don’t know how I have fared there; it’s for the team to decide if I have lived up to their and the franchise’s expectations. But I have really tried to work hard. There have been times when you feel whether you are in control or if you’re doing the right things. There were doubts but I tried to meet the challenges head on. That’s what I have done from my side and I don’t know how I will end up doing in the post-season analysis.

Does having retired recently help you with your coaching in a way that you are more in sync with how the players think and feel?

I don’t think that is a big factor. It is all about breaking the barriers and earning the trust of the players. Once you do that, it doesn’t matter if you are 60 or 40 years old. Building that relationship with players is a gradual process that requires a lot of investment in terms of time and effort. But once you accomplish that, the job becomes very easy.

What you just said was exactly what Gary Kirsten’s coaching methods are based on. When you started your coaching journey, was there any coach in particular whose style you used as a blueprint?

Not directly but subconsciously there are certain coaches who leave an impact on you. On the international front, I have only played under John Wright and never had an opportunity to work under Greg Chappell or Gary Kirsten. But I hear a lot about them and their coaching methods from the Indian players who were in the team and I tried to learn a lot from what I heard about Kirsten. I have also learnt a lot from the Australian players as to how someone like a Darren Lehmann or a Micky Arthur worked. Then again, it is also a matter of evolution – you take certain good things from others and add it to your own persona and style to get that edge in your work. It is important not to go too far away from the personality that you are and to maintain your originality.

Do you think having spent so many years playing domestic cricket in India put you in a better position to select the best uncapped players?

Yes, I think that was an advantage because I had either seen or played against most of the players who were part of the Auction. I knew what their mindsets were and how they responded to certain match situations. Having that first-hand information about the players was a definite advantage because there is more to identifying a player than his statistics.

Do you think your run with KXIP this year has put the Indian coaches on the big picture?

Since day-one I have felt this burden of responsibility at the back of my mind. I’ve always felt that my success or failure – and it’s not about winning the tournament but the kind of work you do with the team – will eventually have a bearing on the fate of the Indian coaches not only in the IPL but also at the international level. If my work is not up to the mark, the other teams will dismiss the idea of having an Indian coach saying, ‘Kings XI tried it and it didn’t work.’ That would mean a huge setback for many aspiring Indian coaches. However, if it goes well, it will be a ray of hope for the good coaching talent in Indian Cricket.

Do you intend to take a more permanent and long-term coaching role – maybe for a Ranji team?

I have a young family and it’s been only 15 months since I have stopped playing cricket. So it all boils down to how well I can balance my family responsibilities and have this career path. In the last season, when I had just stopped playing, there were a few offers that I had to painstakingly reject, solely for this reason.

Mankading: right or wrong?

Buttler's controversial dismissal raises many questions. What's your answer?

The Mankading Debate

Charitha Senanayake mankading Jos Buttler has once again split our cricket pundits. Some say it's wrong and unethical. Others quote the rule book which validates the controversial dismissal.

What does the law say? It says under section 42.15: "The bowler is permitted, before releasing the ball and provided he has not completed his usual delivery swing, to attempt to run out the non-striker."

Where do you stand? Post your thoughts in the comments below.

Related coverage:

• The double-speak around Mankading
• Mankading will spice up series: Cook
• Spiritual hogwash

Sri Lanka win series after Senanayake row

The visitors took the ODI series 3-2 after Senanayake mankaded Buttler.

Scorecard | Action in Images | Jayawardene defends Buttler Mankading

BIRMINGHAM - Sri Lanka proved too strong with both ball and bat as they beat England by six wickets in the fifth and final one-day international at Edgbaston on Tuesday to clinch a 3-2 series victory.

First paceman Lasith Malinga took three for 50 as Sri Lanka restricted England to 219 all out.

Then, after Sri Lanka had wobbled at 62 for three, fifties from Mahela Jayawardene (53) and Lahiru Thirimanne (60 not out), together with captain Angelo Mathews's 42 not out off 34 balls, saw the tourists home with 10 balls to spare.

But there was a controversial moment during England's innings when Sachithra Senanayake ran out Jos Buttler as the non-striker backed up.

Mathews upheld the appeal for a perfectly legitimate dismissal and Buttler, whose blistering 121 had so nearly taken England to victory in the fourth ODI at Lord's, was out for 21.

"You would have to ask Angelo Mathews," said Cook when asked for his view of the run out during the presentation ceremony.

"We were obviously disappointed. I hope I wouldn't do it.

"You don't know in the spur of the moment how you would handle it."

However, Mathews insisted: "He was taking starts, not only this game but in the last game as well.

"We gave him two warnings, and I don't know what else you can do to stop him doing that, so we had to go for it.

"I would stick by it. What we did was completely within the rules. We warned him in the last game too."

Sri Lanka, set a seemingly modest 220 for victory, were cruising at 55 without loss in the eighth over as Tillakaratne Dilshan got after the England seam attack.

But their charge was interrupted by off-spinner James Tredwell's burst of two wickets for four runs in 11 balls.

First he had Dilshan, whose 28 featured five boundaries, caught off a flashing drive by Joe Root at extra-cover.

Tredwell struck again when Kumar Sangakkara, the century hero of Sri Lanka's seven-run fourth ODI win at Lord's on Saturday, was caught on two at slip by Chris Jordan.

Then spearhead James Anderson had Kusal Perera lbw.

Star batsman Jayawardene had made just eight when he edged left-arm paceman Harry Gurney between wicketkeeper Jos Buttler and first slip Jordan, neither going for a chance that probably belonged to the gloveman.

Left-hander Thirimanne hooked Ravi Bopara just short of Gurney at long leg before Jayawardene's delicate late cut, with the ball almost in Buttler's gloves, off the medium-pacer went for four.

But Jayawardene was out for 53, ending a fourth-wicket stand of 98 when he skied all-rounder Jordan to Anderson at mid-off.

Sri Lanka were now 160 for four in the 39th over.

Thirimanne pressed on to an 89-ball fifty before Anderson dropped a return catch when the batsman was on 58 -- although by then Sri Lanka were in sight of victory.

Off-spinner Senanayake, allowed to take part under International Cricket Council regulations despite being reported for a suspect action at Lord's, again proved economical in taking one for 36 from 10 overs.

He had arguably observed the 'spirit of cricket' by warning Buttler before running him out.

Nevertheless, Senanayake was roundly booed by the crowd, who considered his run out of Buttler unsporting.

It was the eighth recorded instance of a player being dismissed this way in an international match (four each in Tests and one-dayers) since Australia's Bill Brown fell victim to India's Vinoo Mankad in the Sydney Test of 1947/48 -- hence the term 'Mankading' which is used to describe the practice of a bowler running out a non-striker backing up.

Regardless of Buttler's dismissal, England's top-order batted poorly after Cook won the toss.

Left-handed opener Cook top-scored with 56 in an innings where the only other batsmen to get out of the 20s were Ian Bell (37) and Jordan (30).

The best batting unit of all IPL seasons

Punjab excelled with the bat, but ordinary bowling cost them the title.

Where they finished — Kings XI Punjab were runners-up, having lost the final to Kolkata Knight Riders. They had finished first in the league stage, their 11 wins in 14 matches putting them four points clear of the next best team.

What went right — Quite a lot, because Kings XI finished in the top four of the league stage for the first time since coming second in the inaugural IPL season in 2008. They had gone into the 2014 player auction with a purse as large as Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad, but smaller than that of Delhi Daredevils, and emerged the most improved squad - brimming with big-ticket batsmen.

They did not disappoint. Kings XI were the best batting team of the tournament; they were arguably the best batting outfit in all seven seasons of the IPL; they were probably the most entertaining side too. Kings XI had some starting trouble, as some of their Indian batsmen struggled for form and they tinkered with their batting order, but Glenn Maxwell and David Miller carried them through this phase with explosive performances.

Then the pieces fell into place - Wriddhiman Saha, Virender Sehwag and Manan Vohra found form - and by the end of the season Kings XI could rely on any of their top six to score. They were so prolific as a unit that Shaun Marsh, a certainty to play for most other franchises, got only two games. Thisara Perera, Sri Lanka's power-hitting allrounder who was an integral part of the Sunrisers XI in 2013, did not get even one. Kings XI made the four highest totals in 2014, and scored more than 190 in eight innings.

Kings XI also made a rare combination work - a foreign captain and an Indian head coach. George Bailey began the season with questions over whether he would find a place among the four first-choice overseas players had he not been captain. And though Bailey's form with the bat was average, he led adroitly, kept his team in line, and played with grace in victory and defeat. Bailey had high praise for Bangar, Kings XI's new coach and perhaps the most low profile in the tournament. Bangar was credited with bringing the best out of Kings XI's less-known Indian talent, and he might have opened the door to the IPL for more Indian coaches.

What went wrong — The most difficult problem Bailey had was in managing his bowlers. After the auction, the Kings XI squad looked light on spinners - Murali Kartik was the only well-known name - but through the season they were consistently let down by their seam attack. Rishi Dhawan had the best numbers (13 wickets and an economy of 7.71) while the rest of the pace attack - Mitchell Johnson, Parvinder Awana, L Balaji and Sandeep Sharma - went for more than eight runs an over. The South African quick Beuran Hendricks played only three games and had an economy of 10.50. So while the Kings XI batsmen plundered, their bowlers were often plundered too.

Johnson was a disappointment, despite claiming 17 wickets. He never took more than two in an innings, his economy was 8.29, and he rarely operated with control. Johnson often bowled at least two overs during the first six, a period during which Kings XI conceded 8.77 per over, the second worst Powerplay economy for a team in all seven seasons. Johnson took only six wickets at an average of 40.66 in 29 overs during this period.

Sandeep was their top wicket-taker but while he was awesome in the UAE - seven wickets at an average of 8.85 and economy of 5.63 - he was expensive in India, where he went for 10.01 per over and took only 11 wickets in eight innings. Balaji and Awana were poor, lacking in pace and shoddy with lengths - and never more so than in the final.

Key stat — 9.09 - The rate at which Kings XI scored their runs this year, the fastest for a team in any IPL season. They beat their own record from 2008, when their run rate was 8.81.

Best player — Glenn Maxwell began the tournament with 95, 89 and 95 and those three innings - boasting a combined strike rate of more than 200 - were replete with reverse sweeps, switch-hits, reverse pulls, and textbook shots too. They made Maxwell the IPL's newest sensation. He was the only batsman who could spectacularly destroy R Ashwin's Twenty20 tactic of pitching wide outside the right-hander's leg stump from round the wicket.

Using an array of reverse hits, Maxwell pillaged 71 runs off the 27 balls Ashwin bowled at him this season. Maxwell's form tapered off in the second half of the season - only one score of more than 30 in his last nine innings - but he still finished as the tournament's third-highest runscorer. Maxwell joined Chris Gayle as the only batsmen to score more than 500 runs at a strike rate of more than 180 in an IPL season.

Poor performer — Cheteshwar Pujara was Kings XI's first choice as Virender Sehwag's opening partner. They gave him a run of six matches but Pujara was out of his depth and struggled to match less-talented batsmen for aggression. He made only 125 runs in six innings and his strike-rate of 100 often caused Kings XI to stagnate in the opening overs, leaving them dependent on Maxwell and David Miller for a pyrotechnic rescue. He was eventually replaced by Mandeep Singh, who in turn made way for Manan Vohra. Kings XI need Pujara to be able to bat at a faster clip in future seasons, because Sehwag might not be as effective in IPL 2015 and 2016.

Surprise package — Akshar Patel was actually Kings XI's player of the season, but because hardly anyone knew of him before this tournament, he was also an extremely surprising package. Patel was part of the Mumbai Indians squad in 2013 but did not get a game; he played all of Kings XI's 17 matches in 2014. At first glance, there isn't anything menacing about Patel's left-arm orthodox offerings. He doesn't spin it much and goes about his business in an understated way.

However, besides his accurate line and length and variations of pace, Patel was unflappable in the tensest of situations, making him Bailey's go-to bowler. He took 17 wickets and his economy of 6.13 was the best among bowlers who had bowled more than eight overs this season. In the final, as all of his team-mates were going at more than 10 an over, Patel conceded only 21 off 24 balls.

Memorable moment — Kings XI had amassed 226 in the second qualifier against Chennai Super Kings, but Suresh Raina was attacking them like Asterix would punch through a testudo of Romans, having downed a flagon of magic potion. He had scored 87 off 25 balls, and Super Kings were 100 for 2 after six overs, when Brendon McCullum pushed the ball towards point. There was hesitation from both batsmen in going for the single but they decided to run it. George Bailey swooped on the ball, running to his left from cover.

He picked up with his left hand, but had to swirl around because his momentum was taking him away from the stumps, and he would have been off balance had he tried to throw without turning. Bailey transferred the ball to his right hand as he did so and took aim at the striker's end. Nothing less than a direct hit would do. Raina was sprinting; he was diving; he was too late. In one fluid motion, Bailey had removed the obstacle between Kings XI and their maiden IPL final.

Unused players — All-rounder Thisara Perera, batsman Gurkeerat Singh, and medium-pacers Anureet Singh and Shardul Thakur.

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